


Restless

by down



Category: Magic Knight Rayearth
Genre: Between Seasons/Series, Gen, Misses Clause Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 08:32:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/607862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/down/pseuds/down
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caldina, between Rayearth I and II.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Restless

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Griddlebone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Griddlebone/gifts).



> A brief treat. Written late and completely unbetad, sorry! A short reflective thing. Anime and manga compliant, though I was thinking of the manga - your request made me wonder just what things had been like for her between one and two...

* * *

Caldina set her hands on her hips, and frowned up at the castle. The towering crystalline structure was larger than even the Princess’s had been, and no less intimidating, with all those jagged lumps reaching out from the centre. It might look like a flower from above – _very far_ above – but walking up to it the whole thing mostly looked like a nightmare.

There wasn’t much choice, though. She did her best not to look about at the desolation beyond the castle environs. Cephiro had been such a lush, verdant land such a short time ago. Even the monsters couldn’t put her off it. But now, well. Not even the monsters could live on in the dying forests. Rolling plains had become desert, the ground cracked and scratchy straw remnants all that remained of the grasses. In the forests, the trees had lost their grip on their leaves, and stood skeleton-bare against the horizon. Worst was the quakes which had begun two days ago, eating away at the ground itself.

The whole thing made her shudder. For everything to just collapse like that… she hadn’t really known, before, quite how literal that whole _Pillar_ thing was. Without the Princess, Cephiro had just given up.

It was time for her to leave. She really should have gone weeks ago. The Barrier about the world had fallen when the Pillar died, it should be easy enough to get away; heck, even some of the Cephirans were evacuating. But she’d stuck with the kid, Ascot, once they had both abandoned Zagato’s cause, and it had taken him until today to decide he had to approach the castle and ask for sanctuary for himself and his friends. It wasn’t that he lacked the courage to do it, just… well.

They had both caused enough trouble for the people of Cephiro, recently.

Besides, Ascot had grown about three foot overnight, and he hadn’t got the hand of his legs yet. She just wanted to make sure he got safely settled; if the Castle wouldn’t have him, she’d take him along with her. Back to Chizeta, maybe. It had been a while since she went home, and the kid’s monster friends were so strange she was certain they could be a money-draw.

The entrances were all guarded; Ascot had marched up to the first one and asked to speak with the Guru, voice only squeaking a bit. One of the Guard had led him away, and Caldina dropped down onto one of the flattest outcrops of crystal to wait. She didn’t fancy talking her way into the place just to have to talk her way out of it again in an hour’s time! They looked a _dour_ lot. Then again, they were looking away from the castle – with that view, no wonder they had such long faces.

She sat with her foot tapping out a staccato rhythm on the ground, but for once she couldn’t keep a steady tempo. She tried switching time, counting in fours, then threes, then six – every time, she found her mind wandering, back to the wastelands they had walked through to get here.

Five minutes later, she got up again and climbed lightly up onto one of the radiating spikes, drawing one knee up to rest her head against it.

Why she was so restless, she couldn’t have said if she’d been _paid_ for the knowledge. It might have something to do with the people trickling into the castle, bent under heavy bags; the things they wanted to save the most. Spirits, humans, creatures; all of Cephiro was retreating to this castle, the white towers gleaming like a beacon. From here she could watch them trudging closer, and her chest hurt at the sight.

She was watching them, one foot swaying in the air, when a man cleared his throat close by; she looked down into the face of someone both familiar and strange at once; LaFarga, restored to his right mind. “…Ah. LaFarga! How are things going?”

“…Caldina.” He said, voice gruff, and Caldina winced. She didn’t need him staring at her to know she wasn’t welcome here.

“I’m just waiting to make sure the kid is okay, then I’ll be out of your hair.” She promised, waving a hand with careful nonchalance.

“…The kid?”

“Ascot.” She waved her hands in the air, sketching out a summoning circle. “The one with the interesting friends. He’s speaking to someone inside.”

“I see.”

Glancing down again, Caldina took in the armour he was wearing, the sword at his side; both had been neglected while he served Zagato, but now every surface was clean to the point of gleaming. He watched her steadily, a faint frown creasing his brow. That alone was more of an expression than she had seen from him under Zagato’s control.

Not that she’d seen him often. He’d been kind of… creepy, back then. Emotionless. Now, he looked well, and there was a young woman in lighter armour hovering behind him. The Guards by the doors were looking across, too.

“They gave you your job back?” Caldina guessed, and he nodded; maybe it wasn’t just Zagato’s control which had kept him quiet, back then. It was rather provoking, his steady silence as he watched her. She reached out and patted him on the shoulder. The armour was smooth and cool under her hand. “Congratulations!”

…Was she imagining things, or did he blush at that?

“Aren’t you going to stay in the Castle?” LaFarga said, turning abruptly to look out over the same view she had been contemplating.

Caldina shrugged. “I figure it’s time I got away. I haven’t really…” She trailed off. LaFarga said nothing, just stood quietly, his head level with her knees. Together they watched people streaming towards them, and the shelter of the castle. “...I haven’t really done much good for Cephiro.”

Again, he said nothing. Caldina’s foot twitched, and she yanked her leg up, folding her arms over her knees. Inelegant, but it kept her from _tapping_. “I’m sorry!” She burst out, and finally he looked at her. “I didn’t understand what she meant, before. All this – if I’d known… No. I did know. He was controlling you, after all. It was just easier not to care.” Her voice dropped low. “I’m sorry.”

Pressing her head to her arms, Caldina let her eyes shut, and made herself breathe calmly.

A warmth on her elbow made her startle, and she looked back at LaFarga. His hand rested gently on her elbow, and there was the same tension in his face as the guilt which had her body thrumming. “You should stay.” He said, softly. “We could use as many good people as we can find.”

“…I’m not a good person.” She murmured, and his eyes were the same blue as the sky had been, before it shattered.

“You’re strong. You could be, if you want to.” He took his hand back, but then held it out to her. “And you would be welcome here even if you do not choose to help. This place is built for everyone.”

“I’m not even Cephiran.” She pointed out, though it was plain enough in her voice and her clothes.

“You are in Cephiro. That is enough.” His hand was steady. “We will get through this, all of us, together. That’s what this castle means.”

Well, she thought. Perhaps Cephiro hadn’t given up quite yet.

She lay her hand on his, and dropped lightly down. "I suppose it might even be interesting.” Caldina said, and smiled.

* * *

 


End file.
